Jucy Lucy

Have you ever heard of a "Jucy Lucy"? I hadn't until I read about this food truck. A Jucy Lucy is a cheeseburger where the cheese is on the inside rather than melted on top. These cheese filled meat patties inspired me to make the meatballs below.

 Turkey and chorizo meatballs with queso fresco


Makes 16 or more meatballs

2 lbs ground turkey
6 oz chorizo
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
a couple of ounces of queso fresco cubed

Mix turkey, chorizo, and cilantro well.  Form into meatballs and insert 1 cube of cheese.  Make sure the cheese is completely enclosed by the meat mixture. Cook in a covered skillet over medium heat until browned on one side.  Using tongs turn each meatball and cook uncovered until browned on the other side.  Enjoy!

These are super simple to make and have a really wonderful flavour.  You could spice them up a little by adding some chili pepper, coriander, cumin, etc. if you'd like something more complex. Of course if you are dairy-free just leave out the cheese...they will still be yummy!


I noticed AndreAnna over at Life as a Plate has been whipping up some Jucy Lucy's of her own lately.  You can check them out here and here.

This post is a part of Real Food Wednesday March 9, 2011.

Curried Shepherd's Loaf

Shepherd's pie appears to be all rage lately. Well, at least, I seem to be running into recipes for these meat and veggie pies everywhere.  So today I'm jumping in the game and making my own version.

Curried Shepard's Loaf

2 lb ground turkey (or meat of your choice)
2 Tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 leeks, sliced thin
2 portobello mushroom caps, diced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2/3 cup fenugreek (dried herb)
1/2 Tbsp cumin
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp powdered red chili
1 lb sweet potatoes, chopped
3 Tbsp coconut milk
1/4 chopped fresh cilantro
pinch of salt

Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Steam chopped sweet potatoes until easily pierced with a fork.  In a food processor puree the sweet potatoes with the coconut milk.  Mix in chopped cilantro and set aside. Saute garlic in butter over medium heat until it just starts to change color.  Add leek and continue to cook until softened.  Add chopped mushrooms, cook stirring often until mushrooms have release and reabsorbed their liquid. Remove from heat.  In a large mixing bowl combine ground turkey,carrots, fenugreek, cumin, curry powder, coriander, red chili, and a pinch of salt. Add mushroom mixture and combine well. Press turkey mixture into a buttered 2.5 quart casserole. Spread pureed sweet potato evenly over the top.  Bake at 400°F for 45-60 minutes or until turkey is cooked through.

As you can see I made this twist on the shepherd's pie with turkey but any meat can be used.  The next time I make it I'll likely use ground lamb.  If a more traditional pie is your thing you can see a couple of options here and here.

This post is a part of Real Food Wednesday March 2, 2011

Just for You

Dear readers today's recipe I created just for you.  No really.  You see I've been in sort of a ground meats cooking rut lately.  Which is directly related to my transition from vegetarianism back to meat eating.

After years of being a fish eating vegetarian I decided to go back to eating meat, largely (but not completely)  due to the fact that gluten and corn intolerance had severely limited my food options.  This was not easy for me as I really had no desire to eat meat (which is why I stopped eating it in the first place, but more on that another time). 

I found that starting with ground meats was a great way to get back into it, so to speak.  Because of this, I tend to cook with ground meats quite a bit.  Now that I've started this blog I figured it was time to expand my horizons. After all, there are only so many meatball and burger recipes one can post without boring you dear readers to tears.

With this in mind I picked up a few different offerings from my local farmer this week. Today my offering to you involves pork chops.  I was a kid the last time I remember eating pork chops and they were always breaded and fried.  When I picked these up I knew I wanted do some something fresh and citrus-y with them.  Here is what I came up with:

 Pan-Seared Pork Chops in a Chimichurri Sauce

makes 4 servings

4 pork chops

1 cup fresh parsley leaves

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

3 cloves garlic

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

juice of 1 lime

pinch of salt and pepper

Place, parsley, cilantro, garlic, oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper in a food processor and puree.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the sauce; marinade pork chops in the remainder for 30 minutes.  Pan sear the chops (about 5 minutes on each side depending on thickness).  Serve topped with 1 Tbsp reserved chimichurri.

This post is a part of Fight Back Friday February 18, 2011

Salmon Salad Lettuce Wraps

I was inspired by Melissa Joulwan's tuna salad to create these lettuce wraps. This salmon salad is a great blend of sweet, savory, crunchy, and yummy.

makes 3-4 lettuce wraps

8oz cooked wild caught salmon

1/2 cup carrots, shredded

1 cup baby spinach, chiffonade

1 pear, diced

2-3 Tbsp chopped walnuts

2 tsp Dijon mustard

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

a pinch of salt and pepper

3-4 red leaf lettuce leaves

Toss everything but the lettuce leaves in a bowl and combine.  Spread the mixture on your leaves, top with a few cucumber slices, and enjoy!

I was worried that the salmon salad wouldn't work very well as leftovers.  I thought the pear might get mushy and walnuts would lose their crunch.  I was happily proven wrong as the salad was just as good the next day.

If you're up for it I suggest checking out Mel's homemade mayo recipe.  Much better for you than the store bought variety.

This post is a part of Real Food Wednesday 2-16-11

Rosemary Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is the winterized version of my favourite summer squash soup (I’ll be sure to post that one as soon as summer squash are in season).  It’s quick and easy to throw together and you can substitute the butternut for any winter squash you prefer.

Makes three-five 2 cup servings

1 Tbsp butter or olive oil

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

2 ½ lbs butternut squash, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

4 cups vegetable stock

In a large stock pot, over medium heat sauté garlic in the butter until it just starts to turn light brown.  Add rosemary and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Add squash, carrots, and veggie stock.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered until squash is easily pierced with a fork.  Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes.  Puree soup in a blender to desired consistency.  Be very careful as the soup will be hot.  You may need to do this in 2 or more batches depending on the size of your blender. Season with a little salt and pepper (optional) and enjoy.

This soup reheats wonderfully.  Quite often on Sundays I will make up a batch to take to work for the week’s lunches.  Sometimes I’ll add a dash of hot sauce to spice it up.

Update:  I forgot to mention that this soup will be a little on the thick side...which is how i like it.  If you desire less thickness just add another cup or so of veggie stock.

This post is a part of Fight Back Friday February 11, 2011

Gluten-free Korean Style Burgers

Remember that freezer full of local meats I told you about? Well I've dipped into my stash once again for dinner.  This time it's Korean burgers.  My mother-in-law is from Korea and has, much to my delight, shown me how to make some Korean foods.  I know what you’re thinking " Burgers don't sound Korean to me." Well you’re right they're not.  But the flavors here come directly from one of my husband’s favorite foods: Korean egg rolls aka "mondu" . I'll get to the mondu another day but you can get an early glimpse with these supper yummy burgers.

Makes four ¼ lb burgers

1 lb ground beef
2 (or more) chopped green onions
1 small carrot, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp wheat free tamari (or soy sauce if you aren't gluten free)
1 Tbsp  sesame oil
1/2tbsp Korean red pepper flakes*

*For those of you unfamiliar with korean red pepper I've posted a photo of the package from the brand I use below.  You should be able to find it in your local international grocery

 Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Form into 4 (or more) patties and cook on a grill or in a skillet just like you would any other hamburger.  Top with a few shredded carrots, green onions, and black and white sesame seeds.

As I am the main cook in the house and I'm gluten intolerant we quite often will have burgers sans bun.  However since the boys are not gluten intolerant once in a while the call of bread is too much and they'll have their burgers in the traditional on-a- bun fashion. So if you’re not primal, paleo, low carb, or otherwise avoiding gluten, feel free to wrap these up in whatever manner suits you.

This post is a part of Fight Back Friday February 4th, 2011.

Simply yummy gluten-free meatballs

I currently have a freezer full of some wonderful locally sourced ground meats; of the beef, lamb, pork, and turkey varieties.  Whenever I can't think of something new and exciting to make for dinner I thaw a pack of ground meat and whip up a batch of meatballs.  The seasoning will vary depending on what type of meat I'm using.  This is the version I made most recently.

Gluten-free meatballs: pork edition

1 lb ground pork

1.5 Tbsp chili powder 

1/2 Tbsp cumin
1 clove garlic minced
1Tbsp dried oregano
a pinch of salt

Combine all of the ingredients well.  Form into 16 meatballs. Cook in a covered skillet over medium heat until browned on one side.  Using tongs turn each meatball and cook uncovered until browned on the other side. Serve with dipping sauce below .

Quick dipping sauce

2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp sour cream
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Combine in a small bowl and enjoy.

P.S These meatballs paired nicely with the comfy cauliflower.  I took the leftovers to work with me the next day to have for lunch.  Both the meatballs and cauliflower reheated very well.

This post is a part of Fight Back Friday January 28th edition.

Comfy Cauliflower

It’s like frozen tundra where I live.  Seriously it’s been freezing cold and snow covered for a while now. When it gets cold like this I start to crave comfort food…specifically macaroni and cheese.   However, being a person with an intolerance to gluten, mac and cheese is pretty much out of the question.  So I thought I would try to come up with a veggie based version of the dish to satisfy my cravings.  I used cauliflower in place of pasta and a little butter and cream in place of the traditional roux and milk.  This dish turned out really well and definitely hit the spot.

1 head cauliflower broken into bite sized florets

½ cup veggie stock

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp heavy cream

2 tsp dried thyme

1 clove garlic chopped

2 tbsp shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using the veggie stock, steam the cauliflower until just fork tender.  Drain cauliflower and place in a 1.5 quart casserole.  In a small saucepan over medium heat melt butter.  Add garlic and thyme and sauté until fragrant.  Add the heavy cream to the sauce pan and swirl until it starts to bubble.  Remove from heat .  Pour the butter mixture over the steamed cauliflower and toss to coat evenly.  Top the cauliflower mixture with  sharp cheddar and bake at 350°F until the cheese is melted and browned to your liking (this should take 15-30 minutes depending on how brown you like it).

…and don’t eat the bay leaf!

My husband has a potato addiction problem.  I mean the man craves potatoes in all shapes and forms constantly.  So lately in order to feed his potato craving I have been whipping up this super easy potato soup.  This recipe is quick and reheats wonderfully.  It is also gluten free.  Thickness in this soup is achieved by smashing (or pureeing) some of the potatoes negating the need for flour.

Easy potato soup

Makes about 6 cups

4 large russet potatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces

2 tbsp butter or olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tbsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried thyme

2 bay leaves

3 cups vegetable stock

2 tbsp heavy cream (optional)

Ground white pepper

In a large stock pot over medium heat sauté the onion and garlic in the butter  until the onions are soft and the garlic begins to brown.  Add the oregano and thyme stirring until fragrant (about 1 minute).  Add chopped potatoes, bay leaves, and vegetable stock.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are easily pierced by a fork.   Using the bottom of a drinking glass smash about half of the potatoes (alternatively this can be done with an emersion blender).  Add the heavy cream (if using) and stir.  Season with white pepper and enjoy.  Oh and if you make this for your husband you may want to remove the bay leaves before he tries to eat one J

(is it just me or does the word “potato” look really weird?)